#regarding how greed will lose you everything

[eldritch-spouse]

Looking down from the tree you see the undead trying to reach you. His eyes look at you through his gaping maw “Get away from me!” you take off your shoe and throw it hard at his face.

If he wasn't barking with laughter before, he is now.

Xiko sinks his claws into the bark of your misguided safe haven and discards his own shoe wear, intending to rake his way after you.

" The nerve! " You can see the pupil shrink in his obscured eye. " The audacity- "

You can't mask the terror that spreads through your whole body as he manages to easily start ascending.

" To drag me out of Greed, out of Hell, into these forsaken muck villages, these fields of nothing- "

The language he's using is strange, but you're too preoccupied trying to find a new escape route, hearing undead hands rip and pierce back into the tree, tearing it apart, with no regard for the safety of his own form when wood splinters into his skin and it chafes, burning, yet never bleeding.

" You idiot! " He laughs again, huge maw deforming in his manic amusement. " You fucking moron- Haven't I told you before?! "

There's no real escape. You thought about how to get up, not down. A fall this great will make you break something, likely your ankles, and if you can't run away after, then you might as well save yourself the skeletal damage. No water, nothing to monkey branch to, sliding down would take too long-

Great horns snag and snap branches away, one long arm reaching to grip you desperately as he tries to steady himself.

" Nobody steals anything from me! "

Through the struggling and squirming, in your desperate attempts to lean out of his grasp in the limited space you have available, you make the mistake of kicking your leg out far enough that Xiko could grasp it, and he does. Like a starved predator whose yet to have a meal in days, that eye continues to burn into you like embers and he salivates, grip compressing your flesh.

" I'll always know where you are... I'll always come get you- I have no fucking choice! "

He yanks, hard, and you shriek. Not because of the closure, but because he's on a separate branch, and you're losing support.

" Get it through your head already. " Xiko tilts his gaze. " You'll be mine until the day I can't piece you back together anymore. "

With another pull, everything shrinks, you can't even scream before there's a crunch, and everything goes black.

[mochatsin]

i had a brainrot so here i am

We all know Mammon is absolutely down bad for MC, and a flirty/bold MC would make him FOLD.

But what about a shy, timid and soft MC ? A MC who would look up to him, waiting for his opinion before doing something (even though he gives the worst advices) ? A MC who would cling to him when they get too shy or bashful because there are too much people around ? Him and no one else because, after all, he's their first. The first demon they befriended (and also the only one to barely lose control of his power lol).

He would totally be like "That's my human, yup." and brag to his brothers about how he's the only one MC clings to like that, the only one who truly knows MC/who can reassure them. So they, and any other demons, better back off, not even dare to try and court MC.

Because he's like that— Greedy, and he likes to show of his treasure. ♡

oh. my. god. YES?!?!?!?!?! KHDFHGJDVGJVCYJN Mammon would definitely MELT to see that someone is actually looking up at him in high regards and this time he feels that he could be useful to someone. An MC that follows him around like a duckling that imprinted on him because Mammon isn't afraid to bark at any demon that makes them uncomfortable. Imagine, MC's comfort is his top priority UUUUUGHHHHH!!!! <333 Though imagine that just makes him more protective. Mammon that would drop everything to comfort his soft and precious human. Did that guy look at you weird? did he say anything bad to you? his fist would collide on that bastard's face. If MC gets uncomfortable in the party or casino, Mammon would call it a night and take them somewhere more quiet. It's hard to resist the urge of taking care of them after all. MC who gets a little scared to be in a large crowd, but lights up when they see Mammon and the demon could swear that his heart is doing flips in his chest when he realized that MC is always looking for him first. HIM!!! That just feeds his Greed more knowing that he has someone that he could call his, and he'd definitely brag that to his brothers. Imagine his hand around MC's hip, holding them close while he has his smug smile on his face whenever he passes by his brothers. Mammon doesn't even need to say a word because it's written all over his face. "They chose me."

[zlobonessa]

also I'm about to get a bit more serious and a lot more annoying but it's really interesting to me how you can actually analyse regulus as a parallel to subaru in the aspect of patriarchy and toxic masculinity — and failing at it, actually.

subaru's issues with traditional masculinity are evident. arc 3 conflict is stemming from his inability to accept the fact that he cannot just be the great traditional hero saving a day and his lady without regards for her wishes. he grew up in a shadow of his father, a man who succeeded in getting everything that is promised by patriarchy — a loving family, a career, respect from his community. subaru cries a lot and scared for his life. he is a loser, he is vulnerable, he is insecure. he is everything that a patriarchal man shouldn't be.

so what does regulus have to do with any of this?

from a first glance at regulus you could assume that he is the one who played patriachy and won. he has a harem! he is violent and he can afford to be violent, he disregards other people's opinions and other people's lives. his wifes are supposed to obey him and if they don't, they are prostitutes snd whores and traitors. his rights are the only ones that matters. he is the one in charge. he is The Man.

but what if we look a little closer?

under scrutiny you can notice he is not actually completely secure in himself — rather the opposite. he directly tells as much:

he also compares himself to reinhard, yet another perfect man (just like subaru does) and not in his own favor:

his wives also notice the pattern:

and subaru puts the final nail in the coffin:

in other words, everybody can see through his scrawny ass.

we can still dig deeper here.

regulus appearance is described as averege (absolutely not impressive enough to get a girl he likes to llke him). he is not physically strong, he immediately loses the confidence that he'll win the fight the moment subaru and emilia take away his main advantage. he is the youngest son, a problem child. he is not particularly liked in his hometown. he is poor, which is a very important detail: combination of poverty and patriarchy produces its own type of helplessness, insecuity in masculinity. you forced to take unrewarding, most often physical, exhausting jobs that destroy your human dignity AND do not pay enough for you be a successful family provider. regulus is a failure in patriarchal society and he desperately wants to escape this position.

unfortunately, the only way he sees is up, and the only climbing technique he knows is the same patriarchal violence that put him down in the first place.

[also, sidenote: it's really funny how he is is only archbishop who gets the fanciest clothing and a whole ass manor.

class traitor.]

the authority of greed for regulus is a way to fight his insecurities by establish his dominance — patriarchal among others. he is the strongest now, nobody can humiliate him. he uses extreme violence to get his way. he forces a woman he likes to become his wife, knowing him, probably under the pretence of saving her from these incomplete swines. he knows better what is best for her, right?

well if it doesn't sound familiar.

that's also who subaru can be. cruel, cold, unable to ask for help and allow himself to be vulnerable, uncaring about what women he supposedly does all this for actually thinks about that. we can clearly see this in the if routes, but a lot of it is present in the main route too, to less extreme degree.

(also..... harem if lmao)

but as we established earlier, all of this doesn't actually makes regulus happy. he is still insecure, he lashes out at the barest hint of threat to his ego, he still deeply discomforted by interaction with reinhard. upholding the ideal of traditional masculinity doesn't help him and eventually leads to his doom. regulus is another dark reflection of what subaru could be — if he had not found another way, if he had been way too stubborn to change, to find support and to free himself from harmful, cruel ideas.

[mslanna]

Diabolus Interruptus

Chapter 9 of Be My Guest now up on AO3

In which Haarlep has the time of their life, Tav gets a hug, and Raphael goes to war despite rather fucking the living daylights outta his mousling. Also, everybody pretends with me that time is wibbly wobbly.

"You look tired, my dear." Raphael observes as he passes Tav by in the Feast Hall.

Unable to fall asleep again, Tav took refuge in the big room that is usually frequented by many people. Being alone doesn't feel safe right now. Tav cannot be trusted around their own body. They don't look up and shake their head in the hope it will suffice. After all the big battle has to be soon.

Tav wonders if that is a reason Raphael choose Haarlep in their shape. An uncertain future looming ahead, one last chance, if everything failed, to have his way. What would they do if it was possibly their last day alive? Fuck Raphael? It wasn't out of the question.

"Is something bothering you?" Raphael stops by undeterred by his guest's feeble attempt to lose him.

"Can’t sleep," Tav mumbles. Maybe digging their own grave is a decent way out of this.

"It's an important day," Raphael replies. "It is only normal that sleep is an elusive thing. You will find your way to deal with it. We all do."

"I bet," Tav snorts under their breath. When the devil leans down for an explanation, they rest their hands on their folded arms. They can't even accuse him of breaking deal. All Raphael promised was that Tav's shape was off limits for visitors.

"I cannot hear whatever you mumble into your arms," Raphael says his voice heavy with disapproval.

"It's not for you ears." Tav raises their head to face him. "Maybe I'll talk to Haarlep."

An immaculate brow rises. "Finally giving in to your more base desires?" There is hope and greed in his tone.

"Talk, Raphael. A concept you should understand just fine because you like talking a lot." Tav snaps. "Maybe because you like to hear yourself talk too much."

"Oh, somebody hasn't slept well at all," he tuts. "No matter. I said Haarlep stands at your disposal and I am curious to see if talking will work out for you this time." He laughs to himself as he leaves to prepare for battle. Orders need issuing and the generals are leaving one by one.

Tav drops their head back to their arms. They definitely intend to talk only. But Haarlep is an incubus. Who knew what would happen in the end. Nothing. Tav straightens. If they can feel what Raphael does to Haarlep in their shape, it definitely works the other way round as well. The last thing they need is for the devil to be distracted by them riding Haarlep into oblivion and mess up his war.

Their cheeks burn at the thought. It would be sweet, petty revenge. It could also be their doom.

When Tav arrives in the boudoir, Haarlep ushers them through and plants an absent kiss on their head. "The generals started leaving and some need last minute ministrations. The prospect of violence makes them all so horny."

Since a musical number is difficult to get in with all those unpredictable interruptions, Haarlep ropes Tav into finally playing Lanceboard in earnest. While not as fun as singing and being hard on the braincells, it can easily be interrupted.

The board is put up on the left balcony and Haarlep ensures the curtain to close it off is soundproof as well.

"Think about it as a grace period until your next move." Haarlep winks before closing the curtain behind them. Tav stares at the board and wishes all the general to the hells. Unfortunately, that's where they already are. And it's not as if the extra time to think ever helps.

"Still your move?" the incubus teases when they return.

"What does it matter? I always lose anyway." Tav sighs and puts their head in their hands.

"You look decidedly unhappy," Haarlep observes. "How about a nap? The armies moved out. I think a hug will do you good."

Tav regards the red figure on the other side of the table. After getting the idea of hugs and cuddles, the incubus took to both rather well. If it was for personal reasons or because those did indeed lift Tav's mood considerably was open for debate. They were a stout ally to the paladin in this house and regardless of their motives, Tav was grateful. The House of Hope is a lonely place for a mortal soul with nowhere to go.

"Maybe you're right," they sigh. "You sure nobody will come barraging in for a last minute fuck?"

"Oh, they already have." Haarlep stands and offers a hand. "Trust me, by now I know who needs last minute relief unless they start strategising with their cock or cunt."

"And here I was thinking fiends are above such things." Tav takes the offered hand. It is soft as if Haarlep hasn't worked a day in their life when nothing could be further from the truth.

"Oh, you are so cute when you're utterly naive." The incubus guides Tav into the boudoir. The huge bed stands pristine as ever, as if nobody ever used it. Also something that couldn't be further from the truth. They kick the footstool back into place so the human has an easier time climbing the towering bed.

With a last glance at the open curtains to the pool, Tav slips out of their shirt and pants. For a moment the moving fabric whisper a cool breeze over their skin, then the warm air of the house engulfs them once more. They join Haarlep who already lies on the silken sheets, arms wide to pull Tav into a tight embrace.

It feels strange to rest in the incubus' arms, face secured against their throat, one arm slung lazily across the broad chest. Tav feels the leather harness press dents into their skin, the wing covering them almost like a blanket. They wrap one leg around Haarlep's and close their eyes. The arm around their shoulders holds them close, a warm shield against the world.

They wake abruptly, when Raphael's voice thunders through the room. Tav clings to Haarlep, eyes closed and evening out their breath. They hope the devil doesn't notice they woke. He doesn't sound happy at all with what he found.

"Did you know," Haarlep asks smugly, running one hand down Tav's back, "that mortals need non-sexual touch to stay healthy? A surprise, no doubt."

"And I am to believe that?" Raphael's voice is tense.

"My, my. You offered all of me up to our house guest," the incubus mocks. "Why so worried when they only claim a part?"

"I worry more about what you are making of those claims." Raphael's eyes rake over the mortal snug against Haarlep's side. Tav does wear pants, so the incubus may just be telling the truth. Another thought snaps into his mind: ever since his form was off the menu as well except for the little house guest, he has not felt a touch of arousal.

His jaw clenches. What had been a great idea to keep tabs on Tav, had turned into a nagging tool of defeat. However much time Tav spent with Haarlep, not once were they tempted to sleep with them. Raphael takes in his copy and grinds his teeth. Haarlep is as perfect as they came. It is an insult. One Tav doesn't even know they uphold every day.

When he concentrates, he can feel the soft arm slack across his chest, though; the cool body pressed against Haarlep's side, face cradled against their neck. It's little more than a hint of an impression, easy to miss. Raphael narrows his eyes, pushing away the question of how often he may have missed that.

"And that works?" The devil's tone is hard and dubious.

"Like a charm," Haarlep assures him.

Tav pretends to be asleep with their whole soul. The last thing they want is to get roped into this argument. The mattress shifts as Raphael climbs onto the bed and a tense moment later, Tav feels his weight settle against their back.

Their first thought after a stunned ‘oh’ is that Raphael sure came for something else if his bare chest is anything to go by. Tav clenches their eyes shut when a curious part of their mind wonders how naked the devil is. Unthinking they arch against his chest, a low moan dropping into Haarlep.

"They like that," the incubus coos, their hand moving from Tav's back to that to the devil resting over them.

Raphael doesn't reply and silence falls. "They are not sleeping though, are they," he finally growls.

"I think they are worried about you," Haarlep agrees. "After all, you might do anything."

The devil rumbles an unintelligible answer. The tension stays, though Tav tries to relax and enjoy the touch of the devil's actual skin against theirs. It is warm as Haarlep's, a little less smooth and claiming in a way the incubus is not.

"Maybe I let the two of you work this one out," Haarlep says into Tav's thoughts. The incubus slips out under them and leaves the devil and mortal behind. The silken sheets under Tav's belly are warm from their heat and do not notice the fire from Tav's face being added.

"So tell me," Raphael's words burn against Tav's ear. "Does this make you healthy? Happy?" He adds with a suggestive growl.

Tav thinks their situation through. On the one hand, Raphael sounds less than pleased about it. On the other hand he is still flattening them into the sheets with no sign of moving - war or no war. His skin is hot, ridges pressing into Tav's soft flesh. They could just enjoy the fleeting moment before the devil slips through their fingers again.

Or.

Bracing themself, Tav squirms under Raphael's weight until they are on their back. The devil rises a little to allow their movement, a brow raised inquiringly.

Tav looks up at the familiar face, its proximity causing a wad of yearning in their stomach. The black-hole eyes seem darker than usual, the golden coronas of fire all the brighter for it. His lips are pulled into a tight line and a single strand of hair trespasses from his temple down the side of his face. Tav knows they stare a devil in the face, even if the red skin and wicked curved horns hadn't given it away. And the devil stares back, waiting, ready to pounce.

Tav's pulse quickens and their heart longs to beat out of their chest. It takes concentration to breathe. The smart thing, Tav's brain screams, the smart thing is to hold very still and hope this too passes.

But being smart isn't something Tav is accused of often. They reach up and cup Raphael's face with both hands. The rugged skin smoulders into their palms as they gently tug. When there is no reaction, Tav arches up into a gentle kiss.

The world stills and for a moment and hell freezes over. Then Raphael returns the kiss, pressing Tav back onto the pillow with unbridled desire.

His taste runs down their throat like whisky, burning a path that skirts the stomach in favour of lower regions. Tav moans into the shared hunger, a noise the devil breaks apart between his teeth, sending his tongue deep into Tav's waiting mouth.

He drops the weight of his whole body on Tav who pulls him close. Their hands wander up to the devils horns, gripping them tight as he ravages their mouth. Hunger morphs into need and they gasp for air when their lips part for a broken moment. Tav buries their hands in his hair, letting its silken texture caress their fingers.

Raphael's weight seems to increase as he spreads his wings in a display of power. Tav yields, opening their legs so the devil rests against their damp crotch. Sharp teeth bite down in retaliation, leaving a trail of wet, red marks down Tav's throat. They feel him hard and ready. It is fast, a rush to get to the finish line, but this may be the only chance they get. Tav leans into it.

"Master, your armies. They are waiting." Haarlep's voice has never been this prim and precise as it cuts through the heated air of the boudoir. It works like a perfect insult.

Raphael pulls back, looking down at the flushed face of Tav. Their eyes are dilated with want, lips wet and bruised, forming a small round opening of desire. Small moans drip from it as the human stretches up against the devil. For a moment, Raphael indulges, plunges his thumb into the waiting mouth and relishes in the tongue caressing it immediately.

Tav sucks on the offered finger, settling into the helpless frustration. Almost. Cock-blocked by an infernal war. They let their tongue linger for a moment, teasing the sharp claw against it almost deep enough to draw blood.

"The war won't wait," Tav gets out, every word breezy with want. "I will be right here."

Annoyance is written all over Raphael's face. He leans down into a last angry kiss, teeth raking over Tav's mouth. "You better be."

Cold floods Tav's skin when the devil rises. A snap of his fingers summon his battle armour and whatever moment they had is swallowed by the war machine. Tav remains alone on the bed, face and pussy wet and wanting. With a groan they drop back against the pillow and throw an arm over their eyes.

"You're doing amazing, dear," Haarlep calls over. After seeing off their master, the incubus returns to Tav's side. Red skin, warm and smooth, snuggles up against Tav and a strong arm curls around their shoulders pulling them back against Haarlep's chest. "Let's just hope he doesn't bungle the battle thinking with his bulge now."

Tav buries their face in the crook of Haarlep's neck with a groan.

"There, there." The incubus pats their back. "You sleep now. That's what you came here for after all, is it not." They rub Tav's back and add "sweet dreams" with more innuendo than should fit into two words.

[aita-blorbos]

AITA for ignoring my friend?

Okay, so, this is going to be kinda long, so buckle up.

I (M25) have a friend (F34). Me, her and our other friends (M23, F24, and F50) ended up in a somewhat rocky situation. I would rather not share too much, but basically we all met for the first time on an elevator and somehow that ended with us investigating a murder. It's been a little over a year now and we have made great progress, and we've also grown closer as a team. It got to a point where I now consider them my closest friends – family, even.

We've been through a lot together and our friendship had been put to the test multiple times, but this has been the worst one yet. You see, my friend is rich, like FILTHY rich. If I say too much I fear I will put her in danger, but more often than not she has bought her way into saving herself and us from danger. She's not the brightest but she has a kind soul, which is why I felt the need to make this post.

Me and the others had asked her financial advisor (without telling her, mind you) for help in regards to the murder we were all investigating. We figured since he comes into contact with so many high-class people that he would be able to figure something out. Well, we were right, he did. It's just that it wasn't what we expected.

To spare you the details, my rich friend's father had played his own role into the murder. Well, not directly, but the people involved with the murder did get into a financial scandal that was somewhat related to it. It's a whole mess, my head is getting dizzy just thinking about it. Anyway, to safe himself and his image, my friend's father decided to commit a murder himself. A plane crash, to be more specific. And this is where things have gotten tough for our friendship:

not only did our friend's father commit such an atrocity for his own greed, but in the plane that he decided to let crash were our loved ones. Yes, that's right. Each person in my friend group lost someone in that plane crash.

I lost my parents. My best friend lost his mother and baby sister. My other, more troublesome friend lost her father. The oldest woman of the group lost her husband. And our rich friend lost her lover. It was hard enough to find out just a year ago that we all lost a loved one in that plane crash, but to find out our friend's father – one of the most influencial men in the world – was the reason it even happened? That it was completely avoidable? That I could be at home having dinner with my parents right now if he wasn't so greedy? That was too much, for all of us.

In our grief and anger we decided to ignore our friend. At first it felt easy as I couldn't think of anything else. I could barely look everyone else in the eye, let alone face her specifically. Words cannot describe how shocked and disgusted I was. But right now some of that shock and anger have faded to make room for guilt, of all things. I'm second-guessing everything I've been doing. I care about my friend, I really do, and I have considered talking to her, but every time I see her contact on my phone (the 27 missing calls glowing bright blue right below her name) I lose all the confidence I had just seconds ago and give up.

I feel terrible, but I don't know what to do. I've been having horrible thoughts about her. "She couldn't have been that stupid, right? I mean, she is, she's proven that already (what do you mean you thought chickens were born in the kitchen, already cooked to eat???), but come on! She must have known something, that was her father we are talking about!", and then I immediately want to slap myself because no, she couldn't have known, are you dumb?

Everyone else is doing the exact same thing, although I think they are taking this much better than I am. I've always been the more paranoid of the group, it's no surprise. They have comforted and even encouraged me to continue. But I don't know anymore. This doesn't feel right. That's why I came here for advice. I really need a third, completely unbiased opinion here.

Are we the assholes?

[ria-writes-stories]

Ship: Thuzi

Genre: Romance

Sub-genre: Obsession

Description: Love, love, love, love, love, love, love

-----

(No one's pov)

The life of a drone was a strange one, why? Well, there are some reasons to it as to why. First of all, you were a sentient being living in a world made out of the same materials as you but those components were not sentient. A toaster wasn't sentient, a vacuum cleaner wasn't sentient, and yet these drones were, and not only that but they were prone to feelings and further they were prone to having the same desires as a living being, to make another. Where did these feelings come from? An error? A short circuit? Whatever it was everyone was infected with it to some extent, some more than others, and some of those unfortunate souls knew how to hide it better than others, and those you had to fear the most, because it meant that they were more aware than others.

Thad was walking to his locker, empty, spotless, and clean, filled with what you would expect from a teenager his age. Nothing out of the ordinary, that is if you couldn't look into his head.

He couldn't risk exposing himself in any other way. He behaved and acted like any other person, he simply couldn't fall in love, and that was the facade. Perfectly pulled together like a master of acting. Nothing could give him away, not even his pulse.

What word could someone use in this situation? Obsession? No of course not! It was love silly! True love. The type of love that can't be bothered to care about other people, and that may be an issue.

What was there not to love? Her perfect smile, her attitude, her gentle yet strong presence. Picture after picture, glance after glance, he couldn't stop himself, and he didn't want to despite being fully aware of how bad it was to be deemed moral, but then again, what morality exists in this world? No one cares about another as long as they are fine, so why should he stress about any of it?

He was intoxicated, and he was addicted to her, to everything that resembled her or do anything that would remind him of her.

He was like a starved monster feasting for his hunger through small gestures and glances which were only phantoms of tastes, lingering in front of him like a cursed temptation not letting him take a bite but pursuing him deeper into this starved state without an end.

Bottomless, hollow and forever craving that is what his heart became, an endless pit unable to be filled and which will never be fulfilled until he got to be with her, and even then it won't be enough, he'll only want more and more and more until he'll lose every sense of what makes him a conscious being.

He couldn't let go, he knew he had to but he couldn't just drop these feelings. His demise and upbringing sourced their life force from the same cause and being. He will never be able to stop his greed regarding her existence, to be made one with her and he'd still need to see her as well to be able to properly worship her.

Together forever and never apart again, only then may his soul know the feeling of peace and contentment for each time his soul beats out of his chest, one more desire settles within his mind.

Feelings weren't Uzi's domain, she didn't understand them, and when feeling even remotely positive her body had to make it morbid one way or another because it didn't know how else to feel or act, at least that's how it usually was. Her hobbies, her passions, her dreams, but all were a fantasy coated with the gloomy darkness of the sky she had never gotten a glimpse of when in truth her entire being complex and detailed like the vast galaxies of these many worlds. But she couldn't see herself and no one else would except for one person who would make her heart skip a beat.

He was a popular jock and she was an outcast freak. It was easy to deem this entire thing as him being a 'conventionally attractive male' but truly how truthful was it? Was it just his appearance or was it also what her soul knew better than her mind?

A soul will forever be doomed to find another, for solitary is a tragic fate regardless.

Uzi had a bottomless hole in her soul. Always neglected, always pushed away, and forever cast into the shadows of which she made a home out of, to ease her pain. What has she done wrong? She was the beautiful miracle from the product of love between two other beings who chose to love something outside of themselves, or so it should have been for she had never once felt this love and was clueless about what it felt like, yet she craved it as if she was dependent from the moment she was born. How dare fate deprive her of this love she so deserves? How dare it never allow her to hold it in her arms when she is a being made out of it? How dare she be denied the right of her existence in this world?

But even so our subconsciousness will forever know better than we do. It will guide us to where we need to be and to what we need to achieve. It will move us against the current of the world, using it to its advantage to bring us to our fate. They call it a miracle, they call it a wonder, fate or chance, a prophecy foretold from long ago a curse or a blessing but it is simply how the world moves regardless of what we can see or can't.

Her heart brought her to him, and she couldn't imagine herself thinking about anybody else. He was just so...perfect. He was confident, strong, and kind. He was all the things she failed to be in this world of misery. Where she fell and caved into the deeper darkness he rose into the light as if he had been forged by a higher being to forever grow until it would surprise its very creator. He was who he was thanks to himself and nobody else and others admired him for it while they hated her. Why? What was the difference? The only answer Uzi had was that perhaps he was doing what was meant to be done, how it should be, and how it is correct. Of course that was a lie, for there is no definitive answer to being a person of your own, but that was all this drone could process against this terrifying endless dark sea of the unknown.

She was long ago drowned in it, taken by a wave and carried deep underneath the surface, unable to tell how far away she is from the bottom or how close she is to breaking the surface of the water. She was lost at a point of the abyss and yet clueless about where she was she had one pillar that she could seek out to help her not stray too much from what she held in her head as morals, him.

She couldn't help herself, a hopeless worthless feeling in her heart tormenting her into the bittersweetness of this life. What was the reason for this punishment? For this never-ending torture that she was put through without a warning, brought upon her, he was given a pendant of life around her neck, a glimmer of light in her dark vision, reminding her to stay where she was in the hopes of making that glimmer brighter. He was her demise, her poison, her illness, and her sickness, and she would be a liar if she said that she wanted it to end.

She couldn't let go. Another unhealthy angsty teen behavior that she picked up through time. She held onto whatever caused her pain the most. The never-ending wishes of having her father's approval and love, and the absurd desire of having him all for herself.

She had a wall filled with conspiracy theories and angsty ideas, and her heart was filled with pictures of him, of his smile, of his joy, of his sadness and anger, only caught within glimpses of eyes for he never dared frown negativity upon the world around him, and she felt the pain that he felt. She felt his anger and his sorrow, and she felt for him, but she was just a lowly outcast compared to him. Yet can you blame her for not letting go of him? She didn't have him, she was nowhere near having him, and yet she felt like he belonged to her like she was the only one meant to have him. No one else felt as blessed as she did when being near him. The cheerleaders would giggle, and the girls would sigh dreamily, but none would see the true colors hidden within his eyes.

None could understand him. Not like she did.

Someone to be worshiped, someone to be cherished. Both were stuck in their delusion.

He thought she was the better being, balanced out between darkness and light, while in truth being on this verge of balance is quite the opposite of being a balanced person.

She thought he was pure in a world of damaged filthy and corrupted minds, but purity vanishes the moment it is laid within such an environment.

How dare he make his way into her heart? "I love you." He said breathlessly, without hesitation or remorse. "Don't lie." She dismissed him as she looked away with a bitter look on her face, crossing her arms. "I love you." He said again, more warmly as he took a step closer to her, while she avoided his gaze. "Don't be ridiculous." For nothing were her protests for he has made up his mind. "I love you." He spoke into a whisper as if the wind could take away his words, as he placed his arms around her in a gentle loving manner, firm and demanding yet soft and light, letting her know that she had a choice regardless of his feelings and that there shall be no guilt if she were not ro return them.

A deep defeating silence followed. She didn't know what to say, he had said all there was to say.

She was unsure. She was scared and afraid. She chased love all of her life and now that it was being given to her she was afraid she wouldn't be able to appreciate it as it should be, without knowing that she deserved every ounce and inch of this wonderful gift.

He was content now because he got to hold her in his arms, even for a moment, he was at peace, for it felt like the thing he had been missing his entire life, but the moment this moment was to disappear he would chase far and beyond to get something even remotely close to it or something even better than it without a second thought to it.

It felt too good to be true. This feeling that she was given so easily out of thin air before she knew what was happening, for it was something beyond her comprehension. It felt so right to be in his arms, it felt so good...

"How much?" She spoke in a soft quiet tone as she allowed herself to lean into his touch, resting her chin on his shoulder. She was tired of this chase, even if this was a joke, even if it was a cruel heartless prank, she was willing to risk it all. Her pride, her ego, her confidence, her heart, for one moment of this fulfilling sensation.

He held her closely as a wide smile spread upon his face, he was more than satisfied, he was over thrilled. He had her right where he wanted her to be, and it couldn't get any better than this.

"More than anything else I hold dear in this world." Thad said in a soft tone as he gently rested his hand on her head he could already sense her reaction.

She looked into the distance with a hollow empty gaze as all the thoughts left her mind and she couldn't muster up anything. Her vision began to blur as tears built up and rolled down her cheeks soaking into his shirt. Her body went limp as he held her dearly to his chest, caressing her hair softly while placing a loving kiss on her forehead.

"Shhhh." He hushed her softly as she clenched her hands on his back and sobbed softly as an inexplicable smile rested upon her face. It felt almost psychotic.

He softly cleaned her tears while looking at her with an adoring and affectionate look, cupping one of her cheeks as his other hand wrapped around her waist holding her close.

She rested her hand upon his as her other hand warped around his neck she smiled with teary eyes before receiving a sweet affectionate kiss on her other cheek.

Two souls deemed cursed and sick found themselves within the grasp of one another and while it was no reassurance that no one around them would have to suffer for this love, at least it was guaranteed that the beasts were more game and docile in the presence of each other, limiting the harm that could be done to others.

The end

[notanotherzerofan]

A lot's been on my mind...

A lot of it either feel I can't really talk about or it's personal stuff that I prefer to keep private.

I will say this though: the rate AI is advancing if absolutely terrifying me.

Now, normally I prefer to keep posts as short as possible, so I because this is a rant and kind of spur of the moment (and also a long time coming), so I legit have no idea how long I'm going to run on this

Also want to point out before I get into all this, I don't hate AI, but the ways it's being used.

*TL;DR at the end.

Now, let me clarify, this is not just about the image generators, but everything involving itself in creative fields and possibly beyond. We're basically at the point where you can't tell what's real anymore. I say this as I just prior to me starting to write (March 27th) this I read an article regarding an AI generated pic of the pope that fooled a lot of people.

Then there's the issue that many artist were worried about in regards to losing work to AI. It's already happening, though currently in a different field: modeling. Basically, Levi's is going about testing AI generated models and claiming to do so in the name of 'diversity.'

And probably the biggest issue is people either remain ignorant to what's going on, don't care what's going on, or want AI to take control of everything.

I say of the former two (and basically everyone for that matter), you really should both learn and stay informed as best you can as this is an issue that has an effect on everyone. I also say this as someone who's looked a little further into how some of this tech (image generators specifically) work. Also be aware, just like anything on the internet, there'll be misinformation, so you probably shouldn't take one source as a definitive final answer (This includes myself as I'm just as prone to making mistakes and having bias as anyone else). On top on that, for the love of god, don't get your info from Twitter or Facebook.

Now, as for the latter, I highly doubt it's going to end up being a case of you being free to sit around and play video games all day. If you're hedging on the idea of UBI and live in the US or anyplace where government greed an lobbying is rampant, it's more likely you'll get barely enough to squeeze by, if anything at all.

Now, while none of these problems have easy solutions, there are those that are working for and in favor of people and human generated content. With lawsuits against image and text AI generators and with a group working on software that messes with image outputs I am somewhat hopeful that protections and more ways to fight back will come around.

In the mean time, I'm still going to work my craft, and you should too.

And by that I kind of also mean I'm gonna try to stop holding back on stuff just because I don't have a proper watermark yet. It's another thing that's going to take a while, especially since I'm going to be working with new software for this. In the mean time, I recommend if you do any sort of visual art you do the same thing too. Unfortunately for writers and coders, I don't have any suggestions as that's not my area of expertise (but don't take this as me saying, 'oh, ur on ur own, lol').

Now, admittedly, since I began writing this, some new info has come to light (*insert slowpoke meme here*). Apparently over 1,000 tech leaders, including Elon Musk (if even he is campaigning for this, then something is up), signed a letter on the topic of slowing down or even halting AI development. This is potentially good, but too be fair, it doesn't stop the damage that's already been done.

Like I said above, I'm hoping that protections for people from AI will become a thing.

Sorry if this seems like a downer ending, but I don't really know what else to say, and I'm not really a writer or journalist. This isn't the last I'll be talking about stuff like this though.

TL;DR:

AI is already affecting credibility and people's jobs.

Don't just take something on person of side says as truth; try to find a credible source (i.e., not Twitter or Facebook).

UBI is not an end all solution, especially if your government is known for it's greed.

There are people trying to curb some of ethical the issues from AI.

Keep creating, no matter what.

Tech leaders are campaigning for a slowdown/halting of AI development.

This won't be the last time I bring up stuff like this.

[infiinitys]

DEBORAH ANN WOLL. SHE/HER / have you ever heard of GOLD DUST WOMAN by fleetwood mac, well, it describes THEODOSIA “THEO” DONOVAN to a tee! the forty year old, and OWNER OF BADGER AND BOAR PUB was spotted browsing through the stalls at portobello road market last sunday, do you know them? would you say SHE is more ruthless or more SELF-CONFIDENT instead? anyway, they remind me of moonlight hitting an empty whiskey bottle in the center of the living room accompanied by a half-empty glass, being used to being the disappointment, scratches of ware along a well-loved motorbike & lipstick-stained cigarette butts, maybe you’ll bump into them soon!

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀𝚃𝚁𝙸𝙶𝙶𝙴𝚁 𝚆𝙰𝚁𝙽𝙸𝙽𝙶 : prison, criminal activity, drugs

 𝐁𝐈𝐎𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐏𝐇𝐘

Theodosia Abigail Donovan was born into a very heavily Irish family, but she hails originally from Brooklyn, New York. Her mother put everything she had into relocating to the United States from Ireland following the realization that she was pregnant.

The choice didn't really lead to many signs, if any at all, of the American Dream. Her mother got a job as a manager at a strip club, but it was barely enough to put food on the table.

She loses her job after a patron managed to say the right words to get the owner of the place to let her go. The reality? She wouldn't sleep with him.

Theo barely completes her high school degree, spending most of her nights working closing shifts at a convenience store down the street from her apartment. It's a small amount of money, but it's enough to put food on the table. Her mother certainly hasn't made any effort in that regard, spiraling due to the loss of her job.

Theodosia feels proud to be able to take some of the pressure off her mother during this time, but everything changes when she transfers to another convenience store with better pay.

The store itself is a cover for a local gang. Lured in by the thought of a better life for both herself and her mother, Theo began selling drugs. The checks continued to come in, her life continued to improve. Maybe not necessarily in quality, but things were significantly more secure.

It's soon she realizes what shes done, wanting out as a way to fix her mistakes from her own greed. However, she only found herself getting in deeper.

An out finally did come in the form of a five year prison sentence, where she spent the entire time fearing her prospects. What was going to happen when she finally got out of there? Would she have to go back there, back to them?

The answer to the second question was no, able to cut ties rather easily from the group that held her for so long. She bought a motorcycle that had seen quite a bit of ware, packed up everything of importance and began traveling across the country.

The details to how she ended up in Notting Hill with a bit hazy, going there for a quiet, fresh start following some time in her mother's hometown.

She initially picked up a job at the Badger and Boar as a way to simply put food on the table -- but the staff soon became her family. The owner at the time saw the spunky Theo as the daughter he never had, caring for her so deeply that he left her the deed following his passing.

It was something she had never seen coming, but she decided to make the best of it. Theo cleaned up the place and made it somewhere where everyone can feel at home. Thus, we have the Badger and Boar the town has come to know and love.

  𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐍𝐒

A whiskey girl, through and through.

Dotes on her records and her record player. If she isn't at the Pub, at another one of the bars having a drink ( or many ) or at her home, she's at Right Round picking up her latest find.

Has two dogs: a King Charles Spaniel named Benny and a Black Lab named Tucker.

Has a motorcycle she's named Oscar.

Lives a very solitary life, simply because it's easier that way. No one for her to be too much for, just like everyone else in her life has proven to her.

What she doesn't know is that the father who abandoned her before she was born has since raised a family of his own and left a child behind following his death. That child has since made an effort to move to Notting Hill for a chance to reconnect with their long lost sister.

more to come.

𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐊𝐒

Playlist.

[gusluv06]

Fear of Losing

“When it feels right, I feel it’s wrong.”

Sometimes you may experience a sense of emptiness during your existence. The empty room resembled an empty circle with a darkness equal to that of the Hall of Death. But being in that circle is frightening. Fear creates a void in the space around you. Similar to feeling empty inside a crowded party bunch—having an odd sensation that all of a sudden attaches to your body. Are ghosts haunting you? It doesn’t feel, though, like you’re lost in an abandoned house or that you’re strolling through a pitch-black forest.

You need to take a quick look at the visualization above to understand what would be the most terrible thing to happen in your life, should it come to pass. It gives everything you have ever tasted a new taste. This is not the same as falling in love with someone at first sight. This is less apprehension. You believe that what you love must have been lost. It’s beyond that, though.

The threat of losing something in your life has the potential to be depressing. Of course, you might have experienced loss, whether it be from the loss of a lover, best buddy, friend, or even the closest relative. I lost one of my childhood best friends in 2020. It’s sad, isn’t it? Indeed, I sense it. However, I am aware that there is a deeper cause for why I lost the person I love the most.

Can things change, though, if you have a dreaded thought of losing someone? I believe that you must feel constantly, even though these people still exist on this planet. Sometimes your thoughts turn to your lover or spouse. Frequently, you fear that they may abandon you, even when your life and your relationship are content. From this point on, you start to experience grief because you believe you are unworthy of love. This causes a great deal of anxiety that will follow you around for a long time. That feeling burns in our souls, whether it’s day or night. Because you overthink it until it appears in your dreams, you might even wind up carrying it. Naturally, in addition to that, your mentality gets put to the test.

From this point on, you will realize that your excessive concern for other people is what has caused the emotions you have been frightened of. Your sense of greed is affecting your mind, and you are not even aware of it. Your state of mind also suffers from constantly reflecting on negative things. In reality, the fear is the result of a bad physical reaction. But there is one thing that could help you, and the easiest thing you can do is try to communicate. Strive for a positive outlook and avoid becoming dismissive of other people. For starters, to reduce your anxiety, begin by talking to your partner gently about how you are feeling.

Best Regards,

Gusluv06

[janisurstemostrespectedtrade]

Janis Urste  Advice On Trading In Forex Like A Pro

Janis Urste Professional tips provider. Make sure you learn the most you possibly can about forex, both beginners and experts can benefit from any amount of new knowledge about forex. No tip can harm you when it comes to potentially making money, one little tip can help you succeed for years. Here are some tips that may benefit you.

To earn more money, look for more profitable offers. The best offers include offers with a recurring revenue, for instance supplies that people will order regularly. You should also look for products that are going to be upgraded later or require new supplies to keep on functioning - for instance, new ink cartridges for a printer.

If you want to be a successful forex trader, you have to develop a good sense of patience. Profit in forex trading doesn't come from trading more often, it comes from making successful trades. The best trades aren't available every hour or even, every day. You may have to hold on to a currency for quite some time before it pans out.

Make sure to look carefully at your positions regarding forex trading. An account under $25,000 is considered a small account in the forex market, but for many people, this represents a significant investment of funds. Unless you go into forex trading wealthy, you will likely not be able to trade at the same level as the big companies.

When forex trading, you need to trust your instincts and ultimately, make your own decision. It's wise to get advice from critics and knowledgeable people, but ultimately the decision should be up to you. You don't want other people making major trading decisions with your money.

Learning to spot trends in Forex is a great way to learn how to make a profit. It will take a little while to notice any trends through all the jumbled numbers you'll see, but once you learn to spot them you can then start making predictions, and hopefully making the right trades. If you see a trend, use it.

You can consider investing in Canadian currency, as it is relatively safe. Foreign currency trading can be difficult, because it requires keeping up with current events in other countries. Canadian and US currency move according to the same trends. S. dollar, which is a good currency to start with for those new to forex trading.

Janis Urste Expert tips provider. In order to be successful in trading with regards to foreign exchange, it is very important to understand the basics. Most people just dive in without knowing the basics and this is a very big mistake. The forex market does not care if the individual is new in trading or not.

In order to make money and be successful in the foreign exchange market it is necessary for you to know when to stop. This can be done by setting a goal and stop once this is met. The most common mistake in trading are trades based on greed in which the trader keeps trading and loses all the profit he could have had.

Consult a trusted accountant before you buy or sell. Tax laws weigh in heavily on how much profit you stand to make or how much you will end up spending. Tax laws can also be very complicated. To make sure you understand them correctly and are not missing any important details, getting an accountant can be a worthwhile investment.

You can use contingent and parent orders to help you set up your entire trade. It will help you set up automatic exit and entry points that helps with the risk management aspect of trading. This will also protect potential profits from being lost by helping you enter and exit the market at set prices.

A piece of advice that is common among many activities, but also works very well in the foreign exchange market is to keep it simple. Keep a clear mind and maintain clear goals when trading in the foreign exchange market. Do not attempt to over analyze or rationalize failure in the market.

Janis Urste Qualified tips provider. Don't overextend yourself by trying to trade everything at once when you first start out. Stick to major currencies at first. Don't get confused by trading too much in too many markets. This can lead to unsound trading, which is bad for your bottom line.

Don't invest any money into your Forex account until you have had plenty of practice. Work on your demo account for a couple of months before you put your own money out there. Remember that the majority of traders do not succeed when they first start out with actual cash. The reason for this is simply that they haven't practiced enough, so make good use of your demo account.

Be a leader, and don't try to do what someone else is doing. Stay confident, and keep the right attitude. If you lose, accept it, and move on. Do it yourself, for yourself. No one is going to bring success to you. You need to have the determination and willingness to put in your part to excel.

Do not pay for the advice that you can get for free. There are many books and software programs for sale on the internet but you are going to be able to find the same information that is in those expensive products, right on the web for free. Save that money to invest it on the market.

Double check all of the major five currency pairs (dollar/euro, dollar/Swiss franc, dollar/pound, dollar/yen, and euro/yen) before you choose to trade in any of them. You may notice something in another pair which gives you insight into one of the currencies you hadn't noticed before, negating the trend you were planning to trade on.

Janis Urste Most excellent service provider. With all of these tips in your arsenal you have that much more of a better chance to succeed with forex. All of these tips shouldn't be the only thing you learn, you have to make sure you explore all your options available. Just make sure you apply these tips to your previous knowledge and you should have a much better chance of success.

[c03xistentw01]

It's been like two days that I've been feeling molto lontana from everything I've ever "made" with regards to you. From you. From my perception of you. For myself. For the sake of my mental health.

Lontanissima....like all of a sudden I decided to put my hands off my ears and eyes and hear and see what I've been exposed to for over a year: it's not gonna happen.

A lot can change in one year. Last autumn I was the happiest I'd ever been. I was that until my greed took control and I decided to stop the grief. The grief for the unlived life. Which in other words, I made it happen by talking to you out of the blue.

I'm not gonna judge myself over being brave for stepping out of my comfort zone in fact if I was not as happy as I was back then, I probably wouldn't end up doing it. I longed to see how better things could have become. I longed to put myself to test. I did what I thought I could handle. I did what I thought I deserved. I did what I thought would make me even happier.

I can't let go of you. The conception I have is so strong I can't help myself from seeking it everywhere, in everyone, hopelessly. Desperate to find the smallest resemblance. What is it about you? I have not been able to face this question cuz i was afraid that could somehow ruin all the magic. The intoxication. Or whatever you wanna call it. Cuz once you know why, once you learn the signs, once you choose to see the signs as they are .... The enchantment is gone.

Once you find an enchantment, why try so hard to lose it?

I can't let go and I'm sorry.

I'll try. I promise I will. Just not now.

I'm still being fed from the purgatory.

From the forbidden apples, although not so fresh.

From the fruits I can get my hands on.

From the preys I strive to catch.

Though they be running faster than me.

And the rivers still satisfy my thirst, although almost dried up.

And the rain.

I never saw the rain.

I've always longed for it.

Prayed for it.

It's true that when it rains only some people feel it, the rest only gets wet.

Okay that was low-key irrelevant but idk now I'm just distracted.

[poojasatyam]

Online Money Transfer: Transferring Money Made Easy

Everything has become easier in the 21st century because of internet. People can now easily purchase branded vehicles without themselves reaching out to the company of the vehicle. Other processes like sending money from one bank account to the other have become extremely safe and secure. Advanced Hi-tech companies have emerged in the field of international transactions and these companies have mustard the technique of how send money from India to UAE or any other country. Carrying out International transactions is a relatively new in the realm of transactions and this is why all the scared sheep do not stop spreading false information. The entire process of sending money from an Indian Bank account to any other foreign bank account is extremely easy if it is carried out through and online money transferring company. The customer interested in sending money from India to UAE or from India to UK is supposed to create an account with the online money transferring company and provide all the proof of identification. In the second phase the customer needs to link the bank account with the created account and in the final phase the customer needs to verify his or her email and mobile number. The verification of email and mobile number is crucial because no transaction is carried out without a one time password which is sent on both the email and the mobile number of the customer to ensure double authentication.

Different online money transferring companies have different rates of conversion and this becomes the point of attraction for the newly found companies which usually do not enjoy the customers. The charge is levied on the conversion of the Indian rupee into Pound sterling of the UK is different on different platforms. the customers must ensure that they  reach out to the most popular names in the business of send money from India to UK and this is primarily because the customers initially do not understand the possibility of losing all their hard earned money simply Because of the greed of saving of you cents on the conversion. The pathway used by reputed online money transferring companies is 100% safe and secure and this also means that all the myths regarding the diversion of funds into different account are completely fake. The only possibility of such an occurrence is because of wrong receivers bank account detail provided by the customer. Even though reputed online money transferring companies guide their customers in each and every single step of the transaction, they cannot monitor the bank account details inserted by the customer. Hence, the sender must remain vigilant throughout the transaction and should cheque each and every single detail before finally pressing the “send” button. The entire process of carrying out an international transaction can be extremely easy if the sender follows all the guidelines diligently, given by the money transferring agency.

[ausetkmt]

(A daily series to counter the reporting that the Republicans are going to win the House and Senate)

The reason we’re going to win in November is because the other side is a bunch of losers. Big losers. Bad losers. Sore losers. 

And everything they’re doing right now is setting themselves up to lose again. Big Time. 

Aside from the examples above, consider this one overwhelming fact:

The Republicans have lost the popular vote in SEVEN of the last EIGHT Presidential elections. That means in the last 34 years, since George the First was elected in 1988, they’ve only won the popular vote ONCE (George W in 2004, and only by one state)! That’s how badly the majority of the American people do not want the Republicans running this country.

Only because of the slave states’ demand for the Electoral College — and the Republicans’ #1 job of gerrymandering and voter suppression — do we even have to still deal with their misogyny, their destruction of Planet Earth, their love of guns and greed, and their laser-focused mission to bury our Democracy.

In the 2018 midterms, despite the Democrats receiving over 18 million more votes than the Republicans received for their Senate candidates, the Democrats remained the minority party in the Senate, holding only 47 seats to the Republicans’ 53 Senate seats. Again, the Dems LOST the Senate by winning the most votes (for our international audience still trying to figure this out — don’t. It’s not worth it). So the American public, wanting the Democrats to control the Senate, gave the Dems 59.3% of their votes, with the “winning” Republicans receiving only 39.1% of the votes. This system must be changed.

In the same 2018 midterm election, the voters gave the House to the Democrats with over 7 million more votes than House Republicans. 

•

"So Mike, how are we actually going to win this time?" 

Because they made a mistake. They pushed too far. 

And this November, the Republicans are going to get whacked by an even larger loser mallet, wielded by the same arm of America that defeated the Confederacy in 1865, that defeated the Nazis in 1945, and that saved our Democracy in 2020, and again on January 6th, 2021. 

Because that’s who we are. The side the majority of America sides with. 

The winners. 

Write it on your mirror! And stay in that mindset for the next 42 days. 

SIX WEEKS TO VICTORY!

Note: Regarding the graphic at the top of this piece, I know there are some of you who don’t approve of conflating the modern day American fascists with the Nazis of old. That we as Americans had nothing to do with those original Nazis over in Germany. Here are a few links that may help you:

1.  There were MANY Americans who admired Hitler and supported the policies of the Nazi Party. In 1939, 20,000 New Yorkers packed Madison Square Garden for a pro-Nazi rally billed as a “Pro American Rally.” 

Watch the 7-minute Oscar-nominated short film A Night At The Garden directed by Marshall Curry.

2.  Numerous American corporations did not want to give up their markets in Germany and Nazi-occupied Europe. So they kept operating under different names — General Motors as Opel, Coca-Cola as Fanta, IBM as Deutsche Hollerith-Maschinen Gesellschaft (after all, the Nazis needed their business machines to keep track of all those numbers tattooed on the arms of Jews in the concentration camps). The American companies hid their profits in Swiss Bank accounts. This story is now long forgotten.

Read the book: “Trading with the Enemy: An Exposé of the Nazi-American Money Plot, 1933-1949” by Charles Higham.

3. Last week, Ken Burns premiered his latest documentary on PBS: “The U.S. and the Holocaust,” a shameful history of the little-told story of American efforts to prevent escaping Jews from entering the United States, among other “lapses” of moral judgment.  

Watch on PBS.org.

[transgenderballofanxiety]

i think it's safe to say that i'm thoroughly dissapointed by that Xbox thing the other day

[kassandragreyson]

Qcard Helluva boss!AU

For the last few days I had a crazy AU idea for Qcard ship. Is anyone familiar with the Helluva Boss with Blitzo and Stolas? If no – run to watch, if yes – point the difference. For real! This is so accurate and at the same time AU verse that I am chocking down here. I have a few ideas of how Picard and Q would develop their relationships with grey moral! Picard and obsessively blind! Q, thanks to @yourbuerokrat2 for planting this idea in my head lol. But I see it a bit different so let me show you my pre-fanfic sketches. Sorry for my English tho, not first language lol. Did not check everything well cuz wanted to share the idea ahah.

Let say that Picard’s moral is not that high standard as presented in TNG. Picard as any human is vulnerable to some of the forbidden fruits, including greed to power (in order to save and protect the Federation of course) and egocentrism. The safety of people he loves and the nations of Federation is his main directive and life priority, nothing can stand in between this and him, this is the reason why he is keeping distance in any relationship. So when the god like entity appears on his ship, starting causing some troubles, but after some time, helps, Capitan starts to re-think his priorly made statements regarding Q and his involvement. After all, the Dominion is getting stronger, the Borg approaches the territory and the Starfleet loses its positions. They need a new start. A miracle. They need Q. First, this sounded crazy, but as more Picard thinks of it and more, he reads the death reports over the news, more he becomes tolerant to it and acceptable.

It really helps that Q is into him. His fascination, curiosity and, eventual, flirt, helps Jean-Luc to come closer to the playing games entity and start slow manipulate him, dragging into co-dependent relationships. After all games, all circus performances and dirty talks, there is no single doubt that it all Q’s game that he made up out of his boredom. Picard thinks of it as win-win situation: he breaks Q’s boredom and he, in exchange, helps those who are really in need. After all, if he can keep this trickster out of trouble and make him do something really useful, his body and time not really a high price.

But it is totally different for Q. Oh, this mortal really went deep under his neurons. So stubborn, brave and smart. Such an interesting mix of morality and sort of stupidity. He intrigued Q from the first Farpoint meeting and keeps staying in his thought all the time since then. It is hard to be an almighty immortal creature that is literally is older than most of the galaxies. It is boring, depressing and dark. Too lonely for someone who is craving for partnership and adventure. In Q Continuum, it is not really a common thing to find what to do. You are a god, why would you bother yourself too much? Especially, contacting these mortals and playing exhausting mind games, that they are even uncapable to perceive. Within a second, Q becomes a joke for the whole family, who is being mocked for his vulnerability and blindness. But Q does nor care. All he sees is his fate with Jean-Luc Picard and that they were meant to be together. He finds him as his long-waited soulmate, who is here to learn and teach. This spiritual and even religious thinking is the reason why he does not even bother to read Picard’s mind. Because if he would, he would never been trapped into this toxic co-dependency with someone, who believes it is a casual joke.

It is all started after Tapestry, where Picard finally takes a step to seduce Q and play his little show. It was pretty easy to convince Q to share a bed with him. Entity was so happy and excited, that absolutely lost his mind. He did become more exciting and chaotic, as Picard’s finds, but for Q it was an absolute win! Such a love/touch craving creature, finally got what he wanted (even if it is limited by Picard’s work) and poor little thing does not understand the true meaning of it. His family does. But who will tell him? They are too lazy for their own adventures and this drama, that popped up like that, is the best time spending activity. No one will tell Q a single piece of the truth, because all of this is really helping with boring days and apathy.

Lady Q is mad, she is mad like hell, because he chooses him, simple weak bald mortal and not her! She is furious and anxious for the revenge. At first, she wanted to kill this mortal on his eyes, but after some thinking, she decided that looking how Picard breaks Q’s heart and then becomes the victim of his own actions, will bring her much more pleasurable satisfaction. She does not love Q and never wanted to be with him. Their son is the only thing that keeps her around. So, it is all about her ego and selfishness.

Q’s son probably would help, but due to the young age, teen attitude and his own affairs with Itchib, he hardly notices his dad’s love interest.

Being almost married to Miss Q is extremely hard for Q. They are the same kind but so different. It just does not work the way he wanted it. Junior is the only Q who keeps him from leaving the Continuum. He is the only reason why he still keeps any contact with Miss Q and not trying to destroy their family home during one of his anger episodes.

It is hard to be with Q and he knows that, so when Picard asks him for some favors, he takes it as a request for gifts, the least that he could provide for his love and time. Q truly believes, that it is normal, to be loved only when you prove your worthiness and generosity.

As more they play this game for two, as more both are drowning within. Q is happy with their relationships, but he is not absolutely stupid in his blind obsession. He wants more, not just casual chat and rough fuck in the different part of the Enterprise. He wants dates, kisses, soft and loving attention. He wants more talking and hugging on the pillow. He wants to be allowed to stay overnight, hold Picard at sleep and make a breakfast together. He might be socially awkward and have a lack of experience in human romantic, but he learns, slowly but he does. He looks at the Deanna and Riker, at La Forge and Data. He notices. He is jealous and disappointed.

At the same time, Picard, despite all rumors, has a heart too. He plays his little show, but as longer time passing by, as more he understands that he falls for Q for real. I mean, he is literally the oldest creature he knows, who witness the rise and fall of the empires. It is so tempting not to ask him and not to crave for his knowledge and experience. His archeological part is dying to get him know better. After all, he is craving for something deeper and more real. Q has always been the biggest mystery of his life and to learn about him would be frankly provocative. While his desire and longing for Q raises, his fears of being open and close to someone do so as well.

At one point, Picard goes on the mission, and they are getting trapped by Romulans/Cardassians or whoever. While they are being tortured, Picard getting drugged and hallucinating.  In his dreams, he sees Q, full of light and promising safety. He tries to reach him, get some warm of his hands, but as further he goes, as tighter he feels the golden chain on his neck, that Q holds on another end. The Borg voices are screaming of his fails and desire to be loved. They mock him for his weaknesses and tells that no one will ever love such a cold and indifferent man like him. That even the God is just playing with him like with the pet.

At some point, when they were all about to get killed, Q appears. And no in the bright light as usual, but more in the demonic form. Hard to say if this is the true form of Q or just the way he wanted to appear, but it has an effect for everyone. Including Picard who is speechless and scared, probably in the first time. This power, strength and fear makes him want to hide under the table and hug himself. Despite all the expectations, Q did not kill anyone, just scared. Q is not really a killer or sadistic maniac, as we see from Deja Q he does not like pain, so I would assume he does not like to hurt people around him too. He never for real had hurt neither Picard nor anyone of his crew. But it does not change that he can be the most terrific monster that humanoid brain can perceive.

This makes Picard to re-think his game plan and feelings towards Q.

After some time, he gets another mission and the only way to complete this is to use Q as his “boyfriend” and ask him for a date. All doors are open in front of Q so he has no troubles to get it the right place. Q is absolutely happy; he was asked for a date (for the first time!) and he is not going to mess this up. Right until the point where he figures out that the place belongs to his old enemy, who is using the opportunity to put Q down, by pointing out on his relationship with a mortal. Despite the fight and hard time, after Q delivers Picard back into his quarters, he express his joy with their date. But Picard is silent and uncomfortable. He is embarrassed and scared. The game is not a game anymore and he is tired of pretending.

At this point, I am not sure, whether the Capitan will find out that Q had a real feeling for him or no, but one thing for sure, Q finally sees Picard’s intentions towards him and leaves. He is furious, hurt and hear broken. His family celebrate the end of the drama and mock him afterwards. This might be the end or the beginning of the biggest revenge that the Alpha quadrant have ever see.

[scarletarosa]

The Demons

These entities which have been constantly claimed to be evil by Abrahamic religions are much more than what they have been portrayed to be. This is an account based off my many years of working with these beings and speaking to them about their history, mindsets, and values.  

Origin: As the demons and deities have told, Jehovah is not actually the supreme deity, but rather an imposter for the Source (whose counterpart is the Queen of Heaven). The first demons to exist were once angels (agents of the Source/Queen) and many of them were deities (since “angels” is an umbrella-term for all sorts of spirits tasked with directly serving the supreme God and Goddess). When Jehovah had arrived to seize control over the Universe and Earth, Lucifer, the first-born deity from the Source, had led a war against him; yet this traumatic battle ended horribly. Jehovah’s power as an Aeonic god (a deity who creates the physical and metaphysical Universes) outmatched the power of the Universal gods, yet he had been crippled. He defeated them and banished the divine beings who rebelled against his tyranny into the land of torment, Hell, and destroyed their original homeland in the heavens.

Upon arriving in Hell, the fallen angels became demons due to the dark energies of Hell; this caused them to lose their divine glow and become more dark and intimidating in appearance. Their wings blackened, they grew horns, and some even developed spikes on their bodies, claws, or red eyes. Yet they remained beautiful in some darker way, but their hearts were broken. The most powerful of the demons were Lucifer, Satan, and Leviathan; they became the High Kings and sought out to build their own kingdoms in Hell, each kingdom following their own values. From this time on, they became primarily focused on war and revenge. Their new realm began being used by the divine Judges of the Underworld who send evil souls there, allowing the three High Kings to determine torments for them (all evil people are sent to Hell, whether they follow Jehovah or not).  

With the rise of Abrahamic religions, the demons and even some polytheistic deities were labeled as “evil” and were taught to represent the very things which they opposed. Where they teach Lucifer to represent lies, he is instead truth/knowledge, Mammon as greed when he is generosity, Lilith as infertility when she is life/motherhood, Asmodeus as lust when he is love. Yet it is as they say, that the “victors get to write history” and the rebels who fought against a tyrant are portrayed as the ones who are evil. Additionally, not all demons began as fallen angels, as some were gods whose people had been slaughtered and the deities had lost themselves to grief. But instead of allowing them to suffer, many had been recruited by Lucifer into his own kingdom.  

The Three Kingdoms:

The kingdom ruled by Lucifer and his wife, Lilith, is set in a desert wasteland of eternal twilight, but some demons managed to develop oases here. The land looks extremely ancient and mysterious, with some smoldering ruins in the distance. Queen Lilith is viewed as the demons’ Mother Goddess due to her many children and her motherly nature. This kingdom has many areas which are filled with tormented corrupt souls, even gruesome scenes of them being torn apart over and over or having unspeakable things done to them. The values of this kingdom primarily include the seeking of knowledge, wisdom, justice, and developing strength through hardships. Overall, Lucifer is the Initiator towards Illumination, the prime light, and the beam which shatters ignorance.  

The kingdom ruled by Satan and his wife, Ashtoreth, is a dark volcanic land. The landscape reflects strongly Satan’s personality of being easily angered, rebellious, fearless, and destructive. He has many people being burned alive in pits of lava and many other torments within his domain. Satan’s kingdom primarily values military might, aggressive revolutions, and strength of character. Satan is the fiery rebel who incites civil unrest and causes revolutions. Without him, there is apathy and submission to dictatorships. 

The kingdom ruled by Leviathan is a desolate place of steep canyons and emptiness; the energy of this place can fill a human with crushing loneliness beyond imagining, only the demons can withstand it. This kingdom is the most well-defended one since Leviathan focuses primarily on defense whereas the other two are moreso offensive. King Leviathan is a draconic deity who rules over loneliness, desolation, solitude, and deep feelings of despair. He was once one of the Watchers who dwelt in the sea of Earth, but after the War, he greatly changed. Overall, Leviathan destroys everything that is redundant, whether it be places, people, or ideas; he tears through them all. He tends to be cold, calculating, serious, and very withdrawn.

Values: Overall, demons are wise beings who seek to darkly illuminate individuals of Truth, no matter how upsetting it often is. They also teach people how to be strong by putting us through hardships that we must overcome, yet will offer advice if asked. The demons are therefore pedagogues who urge us towards overcoming our weaknesses and seeking spiritual evolution so we may become stronger than ordinary humans. Due to their painful pasts of great loss, the demons are one of the spirit races who best know what it means to overcome suffering and instead allow it to transform you. They often teach this when asked, otherwise, they usually target evil people during their lives by inflicting bad situations upon them or causing them to have cancers or other health issues.  

The demons value wisdom and strength that is gained through walking the solitary path through Hell. It is a path that tears a person apart until they are finally reborn as something far more capable and knowledgeable of who they truly are. It is the demons who know that wisdom is paid for through blood and the sacrifice of one’s current self, and they seek to teach humans how to walk this path. Typically, the demons do not hold the majority of humans in high regard; both for the obvious reasons and because they have watched humans allow themselves to grow weaker over the ages. They seek humans who are willing to step into the abyssal darkness in order to find the light, and those who are willing to forego all that they were taught so they can learn the truth. They teach that once a person removes all of their chains of emotional burden and false beliefs, it is only then that they will they be free and find illumination.

Hierarchy: The highest-ranking demons in Hell are the High Kings and the Queens. These rulers are the ones who appoint promising and trustworthy demons of their courts to certain military ranks of nobility. These (in order of highest to lowest) are as such: kings, dukes, princes, marquises, earls, knights, and presidents. There is also a War Master for each kingdom, whose authority is second-in-command to their High King and Queen. The Goetic demons (the nobility of Hell) are all deities whereas the non-nobles can be either deities or semi-divine demons (as offspring of other demons). Among the nobility of Hell are also the children of the Kings and Queens, since they through blood hold a significant title.  

Demons are also capable of being exiled from Hell if they turn traitor. Although exile for demons means that they will be tortured to death. Upon the death of a spirit, their manifestation is torn apart and it takes many years (sometimes hundreds) to reform. Once they reform, they cannot return to Hell. There have been plenty of traitorous demons in Hell, as not all of them remain loyal and every race of beings has their fair share of corruption. For demons, some begin seeking more power or destruction and so often secretly pledge themselves to the snake-god of evil, Apep. This causes the rogue demons to begin trying to assassinate their own kind, but are quickly discovered and sentenced to a horrific death. Due to these, it is important to remember that not all demons are safe to work with and that it is best to go through their rulers when asking for who best to trust. However, the majority of the Goetia have remained faithful as only a few have ever been exiled; so they are typically safe to work with. A few examples of demons who are very unsafe to work with are Pazuzu, Moloch, and Amy.

Working with Demons: When working with the demonic race, it is best to keep an open-mind and be honest with them. They strongly value those who seek to learn more about who demons truly are and who also seek to better themselves through hardships. Remember to be respectful of these beings and to not treat them in belittling ways (such as calling them nicknames). It is also wise to dress appropriately when calling upon them to manifest in your area; do not dress in sleepwear (especially for the Goetia or other royalty). Additionally, make certain that you do not use any ritualistic summonings to call upon them, as they will be offended by this and leave (no evocation triangles or anything of that sort). One can however feel free to use their enns to either call upon them, meditate upon them, or chant the enns to bless things in a demon’s honour. Make certain that you treat them just as you would any honoured mentor and do not mock them or make lustful moves towards them since there are many demons who do not hesitate to punish humans for doing this.  

One thing that everyone going into demonolatry should always keep in mind is that you should never offer a demon your blood unless you completely understand what you are doing and who you are offering it to, When a person offers their blood to a demon, it is essentially you making a binding contract of devotion to them. If this demon turns out to be a harmful one, they now have the power to do to you whatever they please and you basically belong to them. So this action is overall something unwise. Something else to keep in mind is that the idea of “selling one’s soul” is not only impossible (since the soul is the higher self and is not ours to sell) but it also invites the malevolent tar spirits to you. Once a tar spirit gets ahold of a person wishing to sell themself, the person is now at risk of being possessed by them.

Overall, remember to be polite when working with demons (no need to be overly polite but be respectful at least) and take time to give them offerings when they do something to help you. As for the race of spirits called “tar spirits”, they at times like to pretend to be demons. So if a demon is acting strange towards you or is being harmful, there is a strong chance that it’s actually a tar spirit in disguise; although they can be banished by using an astral attack.

Links: The Angels, Tar Spirits, The Source, Lucifer, Lilith, Satan, Ashtoreth, Leviathan